Chamber Check
by WofOZ
Summary: The clown who laughs loudest can be the one who risks the most tears. The toughest soldier may break with the slightest of breeze. Hard cases can get to even the most seasoned of men. This one was personal and only a true friend can help when it seems like all hope is lost. (NOT A DEATH FIC rather a schmoopy cute ending!)


**In some of my previous stories I've written out God as G*d. It was pointed out to me by someone who thought I was suggesting it was a curse word which was TOTALLY not how I meant it! I realize how someone could have thought that but I was simply raised not to write out that name in its entirety when it's being used as a curse like "G*d damn" or in dialogue like "Oh G*d no." I did reread a lot of my work and realized I was a tad inconsistent with that so I apologize to anyone who misunderstood.**

**Anyway, this story is NOT A DEATH FIC. It does have serious themes but the ending made me smile and I hope it will for you too!**

**Thanks, **

**Oz**

* * *

It hadn't been a hard case but it had been a tough one in the end and all Danny Williams wanted to do was go home and forget the world existed. Five-0 had the unfortunate pleasure of tracking a killer that had taken nine lives in little over four weeks. Now it wasn't that they'd forgotten to eat or sleep as occasionally happened with some of their rougher cases. It wasn't that they all disagreed on how to proceed as they gathered in formation; in fact, this case in the detective's mind was one of the smoothest they'd ever worked out and closed.

But that was the problem; the end was so simple it had knocked the wind out of all of them and particularly their fearless leader.

As more evidence came to light, Danny watched as his partner and friend started to retreat into himself. The first time he saw a look he couldn't put his finger on, the team found out all the victims had been killed with a military efficiency. As the victims came in and the team looked at the images on the big screen while going over Max's increasing in number reports, something darkened in Steve's eyes.

It was after the eighth victim that Danny started to get concerned something was definitely wrong. With that victim, it was determined that not only were the individuals killed in a military fashion but they showed signs of being killed by someone who had to have been Special Forces. But the problem was they killings were getting sloppier and a bit more ritualistic in nature.

Almost as if Five-0 was slowly witnessing the degradation of a highly trained human mind in a spectacular fashion.

"It's a SEAL," Steve said quietly one after noon as they finished going over Max's report. His teammates looked at the tall dark-haired man; at that point Danny was beyond concerned as the man's body seemed to morph before their eyes. Steve's shoulders slumped, the wrinkles pronounced themselves on his brow and ever sinew of muscle in his arms seemed to tighten up as arms folded across his chest.

"How can you be sure?" Chin asked carefully, no doubt he sensed something was wrong as well.

"I am," was the Navy SEAL's only reply. "I'll call Command and see if they're missing anyone or know who's responsible." And like that, Steve had disappeared into his office and not come out for almost four hours. It got to a point that Danny corralled his teammates into his office and closed the door.

"What are we missing?" Danny had asked.

"On the case?" Kono replied. All the detective needed do was shake his head and then look pointedly at their leader's office.

"He's been off from the get go, brah," Chin offered. "Tried to get him to talk to me but he said he was fine."

"Do either of you believe that?" Danny scoffed. True enough the cousins answered "no" simultaneously. When Steve did re-emerge from his office, his eyes were dark and his body language was simple one of absolute defeat. He'd brought the team around the computer table and brought up a picture of a proud looking young soldier with a glint of mischief in his eye and a quirk of the mouth that undoubtedly meant he was a trouble maker in the best possible ways.

Steve hadn't looked any of his teammates in the eye as he explained; instead he kept his gaze locked on the picture in front of him.

"Petty Officer Chester McInnis aka Guinness," he'd said. "Was in a military psych ward on the mainland up until six weeks ago, document check has his passport being logged here in Hawaii but from there no one's heard from him. His team was ambushed on a mission; they were taken prisoner and held for nine days. In the end he was the only survivor to make it out." It was slightly disturbing how Steve spoke without emotion on a subject that should have been very emotional for him. It finally started dawning on Danny what was wrong and he kicked himself for not seeing it sooner.

Steve was upset, he was more than upset and while the detective didn't quite understand why he knew his partner was compartmentalizing his issues so he could get the job done and protect society. Be the soldier he'd been trained to be and the soldier that made him Five-0's unstoppable trusted leader. Problem was, this was unlike anything the team had seen from the man before and it was beyond disturbing.

"How do we know it's him?" Kono asked carefully. Steve walked up to the screen and for a haunting moment it seemed like it was only the two SEALs in the entire building.

"Because I taught him how to kill and I know what it looks like when I take a life." That somber thought had each Five-0 member retreating to their offices not just to start tracking down the Petty Officer but also to process what they'd just been told.

Eventually they did manage to find the Petty Officer; 12 hours after he took his ninth victim. It was a messy affair and in broad daylight with near a dozen witnesses. Knowing how he was trained allowed Steve to track the troubled man into the jungles where a one man campsite had been set up. It was in the final moments of their case that truly sucked the wind out of Five-0's sails.

Danny had been cautiously checking the camouflaged tent when his gun was snatched out of his hand and an arm wrapped around his throat. He barely managed a squawk of warning as he was dragged into the open with whispered mutters of a clearly disturbed man in his ear.

"Shouldn't be here..." the Petty Officer muttered. "...wasn't supposed to be here, not for you, for him, for them... not for you, never for you... did what I had to... paid them back... made sure... paid them back."

"Petty Officer McInnis Five-0 put the weapon down!" Chin had barked out having been the first one to Danny's rescue. The detective literally felt the man's body behind him go taught as he froze in place as Steve and Kono emerged with their weapons raised as well.

"Guinness," Steve said gently. "What are you doing buddy? Tell me what's going through that head of yours and let us help you."

"Lieutenant McGarrett?" the Petty Officer asked after a very long pause. Almost like it had taken him a while to recognize the man. Steve smiled a tense smile and lowered his gun just slightly. Danny knew the situation had to be handled carefully but at that moment, the idea that his best chance at survival was lowering his weapon didn't help his overwhelming fear.

"It's Commander McGarrett now, Guiness... Chester, why don't you put the gun down and we can talk about this," Steve tried. And there it was the desperation, the fear, the loathing and the knowledge there was no way this situation was going to end well all wrapped up in the simplest of tones. Danny knew it, Steve knew it, they all knew it but most of all, feeling the shift in position of the man holding him captive, the Petty Officer knew it as well.

"It's over," the Petty Officer whispered barely above a whisper. "Nine days, nine kills, nine SEALs... it's over."

"Don't say that Chester," Steve tried a hint of desperation in his voice. "You've got people who care about you, that want to take care of you. You're sick buddy but they'll help you. I'll help you man."

"Gone," the Petty Officer muttered he tightened his hold around Danny's throat and jabbed the gun into the detective's side. "All gone... gone... gone... gone, sir, lieutenant... Commander McGarrett permission to speak freely?" The incoherent ramblings suddenly snapped into an official military bark startling everyone. Everyone but Steve's whose eyes filled with emotion he'd done his best to hide for weeks now.

"Permission granted Petty Officer," he replied.

"I'm sorry sir."

"For what Petty Officer?"

"For being unworthy." Suddenly felt himself being propelled forward, low on oxygen and confused the detective stumbled. Suddenly two shots wrung out, one burned through Danny's bicep while the others found their mark elsewhere. It was only when he hit the ground and looked up did he realize what had happened, and it damn near broke his heart.

While the bullet wound on his arm hurt, he knew a few stitches and he'd been fine. The other bullet had come from Steve's gun; it was still smoking and pointed in the direction of the Petty Officer. Or rather, the man's body that now lay cold and still on the ground. For a moment no one moved, but then Chin rushed forward kicking the weapon away from the downed man and checked a pulse. A sigh later and he looked up at Steve, who'd yet to move and shook his head.

"He's gone."

As Danny was taken to the hospital and seen too, more information came out about the now deceased Navy SEAL. He'd suffered a severe psychotic break when he'd returned to the States from behind rescued. He'd been in the psych-ward for a while and on a rainbow of medications that was actually helping him stay relatively calm and lucid. That was until two months ago the only family he had left, his father had been killed in a carjacking. Since his father had visited him every single day at the hospital, the Petty Officer started to question, to get agitated and demand answers. When the truth came out, Petty Officer Chester McInnis had to be sedated... two days later he'd vanished only to turn up in Hawaii on a killing rampage.

Revenge as it turned out, just as Danny was being released from the hospital and Kono was ready to give him a ride, they got a call from Chin. The search of the Petty Officer's campsite had revealed several journals documenting how he needed to cleanse the earth of all the wrong there was. He needed to avenge his fallen brothers and he needed to do it in the name of his father. Like the SEAL had muttered in Danny's ear, "Nine days, nine kills, nine SEALS." Then he'd given what he obviously felt was the greatest sacrifice of them all, his own life to atone for his father.

It was a sad tragic story and in the end, Five-0 had a whole new appreciation for just how close they were to one another.

For that exact reason, Danny, now at home was staring up at his bedroom ceiling, wide awake as his clock ticked over to three forty-five in the morning. He was tired, he wanted to sleep but it was not to be. Steve's blank stare as he just stood there over the body of someone he once knew, someone he once trained was still burned into the detective's mind. After leaving the hospital, Chin once again called and told them he was going to take Steve home for the night and they could do the paperwork in the morning.

It sounded like the best plan Danny had heard in a long while but now, in the wee hours, he was thinking twice about his decision. The silence of his room was broken by the buzzing of his cell phone on his bedside table. With a grunt and using his uninjured arm he snapped it up and pressed answer without even looking at the screen. He knew who it was and he wasn't the least bit surprised only deeply, deeply concerned.

"Williams," he asked though he knew it was completely unnecessary. There was a long pause, too long for the detective's liking as all he heard over the line was the slightest of breaths. Sighing, Danny sat up in, "You want me to come over?" Another pause before unnaturally quiet voice of his partner finally broke the silence.

"If you want," Steve replied. Snorting, Danny shook his head and stood in search of his pants.

"Be there in ten," he replied. "You'd better not be asleep when I get there," he joked lamely.

Danny made it to his friend's house in nine minutes, thanks to no one on the road and him breaking several speed limits to get there. He headed to the front door only to find it unlocked wondering if Steve had done it on purpose.

"Steve?" Danny asked upon entering the darkened house. His search didn't take long, he found the man sitting in his study the only light was the desk lamp. What brought the detective to a screeching halt was the contents on Steve's desk that the man was staring at. His cell phone, his service weapon and a full clip of bullets ready to go. Something froze in Danny's chest and he swore for a moment he stopped breathing. It was the look on Steve's face that had the detective wondering if he should be calling Chin and Kono for help. However he didn't dare leave the room not with his friend's eyes so distant, so haunted and so ready to well... honestly it looked like he was ready to give up.

On everything.

"Babe, what's going on?" Danny asked entering the room slowly.

"Guinness... he was me," Steve said quietly staring at his gun. Taking a seat in the chair across from his friend and resisting every urge to yank the weapon out of reach, Danny simply sat forward.

"How do you figure?" he asked. Steve closed his eyes and worked his jaw before opening them again and gazing off to the side.

"He started BUDs a cocky bastard with a will that couldn't be shaken by anyone or anything. Only difference was he had an attitude," he explained. "Joe brought me in to help train the kid because he said he saw a lot of myself and knew I could help Guinness." Steve paused and snorted softly before continuing; "Joe said if I could get him to be half the soldier I was the world would be a better place."

"Sounds like you did a hell of a job," Danny replied. "Never saw mission reports but I saw the kid's jacket, he had almost as many medals as you do and he's younger to boot." Steve worked his jaw again then put his hand down on his desk dangerously close to his weapon.

"He was always smiling, like nothing could ever phase him," the Navy SEAL went on. "The last time I saw him was just before that mission, we happened to run into one another at a bar. We shared a few drinks with him and some buddies and went our separate ways... I didn't even get his number to call him. Maybe to see how things were after... I trained him and I abandoned him and now look what happened."

"Steve this is not on you, you have to know that," Danny tried. With that Steve sighed heavily and shook his head, his hand actually falling on the clip left idle on the desk. Danny did his best not to tense up.

"I know it's not," Steve said surprising his partner. "I just... we were so similar in everything we did, I mean we even... we even took lives and defended ourselves in the same way. He was always happy, always so much happier then I could ever be and yet he's dead and I'm not."

"Circumstance, babe," Danny replied as if it should have been obvious. "He'd lost everyone and everything. You have friends, you have Five-0, and you've got a sister... You're not alone." After another pause, Steve seemed to take a breath that travelled through his entire body. Finally he looked up at his partner and gave a sad smile.

"Thanks for coming over," he replied.

"Always... now... you want to tell me what you're doing with that?" Danny said eyeballing the weapon on the desk. Steve looked down at his weapon and frowned as if he didn't understand the question. However a blink later and his eyes widened and he looked up at his Jersey partner in horror.

"You thought… I mean… You thought I was going to USE this?" he asked incredulously. Danny didn't bat an eyelash. He simply raised an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest. Deep down however he felt a small bit of relief.

"You tell me," he replied. "You call me at an hour I never care to mention ever again, your door was unlocked, you're sitting in the dark, you look like crap and you're looking at that thing like it's the difference."

"The difference?" Steve balked still a bit stunned. Danny leaned forward and finally, he put his hand on the gun and pulled it out of Steve's reach.

"The difference between having to suffer through a case like this one again and NOT," the detective replied.

"Danny I can't believe you think I'd do something to stupid," Steve spat. "Yeah it was a rough go but I'm not suicidal. I was cleaning it that's all. It isn't even lo-" Danny took that moment to check the chamber of the weapon and sure enough one unused bullet popped out.

One of the first things the detective had learned in the Academy was to always remember to check for the round in the chamber. The magazine might be gone but there could still be one bullet loaded.

And one was all it took.

As the small unassuming piece of metal flew out then clanked down on the wood desk top between them; the two men watched it before turning their eyes back to one another.

"You were saying?" Danny said nonchalantly even though his heart was pounding in his ears.

Steve just looked shell-shocked.

"I could have sworn I checked that," he said. "I know I checked that." Carefully putting the weapon aside, Danny stood up.

"Come on," he nodded toward the door. At first Steve didn't move, instead he sat staring at the single bullet that had flown from the gun. A bullet, that had he started "cleaning" his weapon could have fired and caused some serious damage. If not the "other" consequence of being shot that Danny didn't even want to think about.

"Steve!" the detective barked. Finally Steve looked up at him, confused, shocked and even a little bit fearful.

"What?" he asked.

"Come. On," Danny repeated slowly. As if on automatic, the Navy SEAL stood and followed his partner from the study. On his way to the lanai, Danny grabbed some beers from the fridge before leading his partner outside.

The both flopped down on the old green beach chairs that had seen better days and took sips of their respective beers. They sat in silence, thinking, wondering, hoping, conceding and ultimately wishing the world wasn't a bad a place as it was sometimes.

Then just as the sky started to lighten, Danny spoke. It was his turn to stare out onto the Ocean as if it were just he and the waves beyond.

"My probationary officer was a 31 year vet of the force," he replied. "Guy loved and I mean LOVED to take on probie's just so he could torture us into thinking we'd never make it. Thing was, just when I was about ready to quit I find out that not only are most of the officers in my precinct products of his teachings but three of the youngest detectives are as well. No one ever understood why he didn't just move up the ranks, become a detective but he admitted to me once he had way to much fun turning punks like me into officers that made him proud."

"Sounds like a good man," Steve said quietly. Danny closed his eyes remembering the crusty old man fondly.

"He was," the detective replied. Then he took a breath and sip of his beer, "Two days after I finished probation and was transferred to work with another partner the Captain calls us all into the debriefing room and says; Sergeant Morris is dead. Shortly thereafter I find out he took a bottle of pills with an entire bottle of whiskey as a chaser."

"Ah man… I'm sorry Danno." Danny just shook his head.

"Don't be, he found peace with himself the only way he thought possible," he replied. Then suddenly he turned toward Steve and locked eyes with his partner. "But as much as I know there was nothing I or anyone else could have done, it still stings that he thought that was the answer. He lived alone and no matter how many medals, how many people, how many well wishers went in and out of his life, he still died alone… Steve promise me something."

"Anything," the SEAL replied without hesitation.

"Promise me you will always check the chamber," Danny replied. Then he put down his beer and jammed a finger into his partner's chest. "And if you ever forget how, you call me and I'll check it for you. Get it?" A flash of untold emotion zipped through Steve's eyes before dissipating into something akin to great relief and friendship.

"I get it," he replied. Then with Danny's added raised eyebrow he added, "And I promise."

Just then the Hawaiian sun finally crested the horizon bathing both men in an early morning glow. In unison they turned and shaded their eyes yet watched the fantastic reds and oranges release themselves to the days coming crystal blue sky.

When the sun was finally in the sky, Danny finished off his beer and went to stand only to look as his partner and smile. Steve; legs splayed out, beer bottle tipped over and long since emptied into the sand, was dead to the world asleep with a surprisingly peaceful look on his face.

Settling himself a bit deeper into his chair and allowing himself the peace of the gentle morning breeze against his cheeks, Danny let his smile grow.

"I'll be here when you wake up buddy," he said quietly; then he too drifted off into a much-needed and well-earned sleep.

Four months later they came across another hard case, only this time it was Danny who got hit hardest. A young father had been killed by his abusive heiress girlfriend and it took a week and a half to track her down to rescue a terrified five-year old boy. The father was "the pool boy" as the crazed woman had put it and that "Daddy no longer approved."

A "pool boy" who'd given up an acceptance to Harvard Law so he could stay in Hawaii and help raise his son.

When they finally caught the woman and took the boy from her she'd raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow and simply said;

"He was nothing more than a sperm donor for an heir. I didn't want the two of them getting attached."

Danny had gone home that night sick to his stomach and wondering how anyone could possible think like that. It sent him on a trip of self loathing and wondering if Rachel had ever thought something so damning about him. He quickly dismissed that thought however, knowing he and Rachel's issues had nothing to do with their love for Grace.

It was exactly 3:45am on the dot when Danny heard a quiet knock on his front door. Frowning and collecting his gun from his bedside table drawer he went to answer.

When he opened the door, his weathered Jersey smile nearly split his face wide open. So much so that he couldn't contain it and burst out laughing shaking his head.

There stood Steve, gun cleaning kit in hand and a Cheshire grin on his face.

"Came to make sure you checked your weapon Danno," he replied. Then he raised his other hand a six-pack of Long Boards appearing. "Or we could forgo the sentimental I love you, you love me chick moment and just get straight to the beer."

"I choose option B," Danny said still chuckling. He took the drinks and they plopped down in front of the TV. Danny flipped it on and found a World Cup game that was being re-aired.

"You good with this?" the detective asked. "Australia vs. Netherlands." Steve sat back and nodded not knowing Danny had already seen most of this game already.

"Yeah I've got a few friends down-under I'd like to see how they do." Wincing Danny reached for the remote.

"Let's watch something else," he replied.

"What? Why!?" Steve protested.

"Trust me," Danny said switching the channel. "You'll thank me in the morning."

* * *

**I LOVE YOU AUSTRALIA! Just had to put that out there because I really do, I'm Canadian, it's in our blood to love you guys! That and Alex O'Loughlin is a sexy Australian himself... lol.**

**To everyone else, I still love you too and I hope you enjoyed this story. I love reviews as always but even seeing people favorite the story is awesome too.**

**Thanks **

**Oz**

**PS If you're not a football (soccer) fan, poor Australia got knocked out of the FIFA World Cup.**

**Cheers!**


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